Bishops: Remove Abortion Amendment

One day after the Register published Rich Daly’s story “Panel Okays Military Abortions,” Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called the move “misguided,” and asked that the amendment be removed from the National Defense Authorization Act.

The release from the U.S. bishops follows in full:

WASHINGTON—A Senate committee amendment that would authorize the performance of elective abortions at military hospitals in this country and around the world is “misguided” and should be removed from the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 3454), said the Chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. In a June 29 letter, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston urged Senators to remove this amendment on the grounds that it breaks with longstanding federal and military policies on government promotion of abortion.

Cardinal DiNardo said it was disingenuous to suggest, as the amendment’s proponents have, that the amendment is “moderate” in requiring patients at military facilities to pay for their abortions. “Which is a more direct governmental involvement in abortion: That the government reimburses someone else for having done an abortion, or that the government performs the abortion itself and accepts payment for doing so?” the Cardinal wrote. He cited a 1989 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court saying that “the State need not commit any resources to facilitating abortions, even if it can turn a profit by doing so.”

Cardinal DiNardo also noted the longstanding nature of the current policy against providing abortions at military health facilities, which has been in place for 22 years with the exception of 1993-1995.

“During the brief period when these facilities were told to make abortions available, scarcely any military physician could be found in overseas facilities who was willing to perform abortions,” the Cardinal added.

Cardinal DiNardo also said that the current military policy is in keeping with federal policy in general, noting: “Other federal health facilities also may not be used for elective abortions, and many states have their own laws against use of public facilities for such abortions.”

Calling on the Senate not to approve the bill unless it maintains current law, as the bill approved by the House of Representatives already does, Cardinal DiNardo concluded that “this amendment presents Congress with the very straightforward question whether it is the task of our federal government to directly promote and facilitate elective abortions. During the recent health care reform debate, the President and congressional leadership assured us that they agree it is not.”

Archbishop Broglio of the Archdiocese of Military Services had written an earlier letter to the Senate against the proposed policy change. Cardinal DiNardo endorsed his letter as well, noting that it urges Congress “not to impose this tremendous burden on the consciences of Catholic and other health care personnel who joined our armed services to save and protect innocent life, not to destroy it.”

Comments

My dear brother in Christ, did you not ponder why you can’t post you orders ID. I must also admit some weariness with Catholics using public forums to complain about policies that are none of their business. If you have a concern bring it up with the relevent individual or another brother or sister in Christ. Flaming your leaders on a blog just discredits Catholics and leaves you with your frustrations. By the way I would look again at the definition of marriage in the country I live in it was never controlled by the government except through the licensing of ministers. Civil unions were their purview.

Posted by Anne on Friday, Sep 3, 2010 3:02 PM (EDT):

One more for the Obama Administration and his “Party of Death”.

Posted by Katherine Clyde on Wednesday, Jul 21, 2010 4:30 PM (EDT):

This would cause infinitely more damage than homosexuality or women on the front lines.

Posted by Brother Luke on Wednesday, Jul 7, 2010 9:19 PM (EDT):

Someone needs to enlighten our good cardinals (who are living “high on the hog”) of the poverty surrounding them.

There are much more serious issues in the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese than abortion and gay marriage.

Our city is being destroyed by displaced Katrina victims. These poor victims of Katrina need education, education and education. Murder, rape, robbery are rampant in our “good” neighborhoods.

Imagine what those of us who minister to these neglected souls see day in and day out as our good bishops go about as if all is well in the world.

Social Justice? Get on with it. If someone wants an abortion that’s between them and God. If two people of the same sex want to marry that is between them, God and the state.

Brother Luke (religous order i.d. omited by holy obedience)

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